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Fluet's clutch 3-pointer lifts Fitchburg State

By Shaun Suhoski, Correspondent

Updated:
12/09/2012 06:36:27 AM EST

FITCHBURG -- Rebecca Fluet's 3-pointer with 11.4 seconds left elicited a rousing cheer from the home crowd and provided the winning margin in Fitchburg State University's 61-59 victory over Emerson College in women's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Recreation Center.

The clutch score rattled in as the shot clock was winding down to give the Falcons a 60-59 lead in a closely fought non-league match that saw 10 lead changes in the second half.

"It felt amazing (to hit the shot)," said Fluet, a sophomore guard who finished with nine points and went 3 of 4 from behind the arc. "We needed a win. We worked hard in practice and picked up the intensity and came out with a win."

After taking a 30-27 edge into the locker room, the Falcons came out strong on the opening possession of the second half when Amy Fahey picked off a floating pass and drove the length of the court to lay it in for a five-point margin.

Emerson, spurred by a long 3-pointer from Elissa Chojnicki (14 points), then embarked on a 9-0 run while Fitchburg State came up empty on some open looks.

It looked like the Lions might take control of the game if not for the constant effort of Fahey, a junior forward who tallied a team-high 12 rebounds and game highs of 20 points and 37 minutes.

After baiting Emerson (2-6) leading scorer Kristin Brice (17 points) into a charging call, Fahey took a lead pass up the right wing and banked it home as she was fouled under the basket.

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She hit the free throw to complete the three-point play and put the Falcons in front 42-40. Neither team would lead by more than three points for the balance of the game.

"We're young with a bunch of sophomores and freshmen out there," said 14-year head coach Walter Paschal, whose team improved to 3-4 on the season. "But the kids didn't give up, even down by two or three late. They made a couple of good defensive stops and Rebecca Fluet hit a big 3 for us."

After playing back and forth for most of the first half, Fitchburg State went on a 10-4 run on a quick succession of scores, starting with a hard drive to the hole by Laura Cote (8 points). A breakaway layup by Madeline Merchant, two hoops from Fahey and a long jumper from Tori Cyrus (11 points) quickly followed to seemingly put the Falcons in command, 30-20, with 1:34 left in the half.

But the Lions were not so easily tamed, scoring the final seven points of the half, including a trey from the top of the key by Catherine Cloutier (15 rebounds, 5 points) to close the gap and set the stage for the second-half drama.

Fitchburg State will next play at Mount Ida on Tuesday at 6 p.m., before a two-week hiatus. After their Florida tournament, the Falcons begin MASCAC league play on Jan. 5 when they host Bridgewater State.

"We've got a couple more games before league play begins," said Paschal. "Today was a big step. Hopefully they can build on it."

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